


Dennis' Crush

by Fifionline



Series: Dennis' adventures [1]
Category: The Smoke (TV)
Genre: Awkward Dates, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-29
Updated: 2015-05-29
Packaged: 2018-04-01 20:49:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4034095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fifionline/pseuds/Fifionline
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dennis had had only one crush in his life but he never acted on it. Now is the moment to do so as fate puts her on his path again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dennis' Crush

Dennis is grocery shopping for his mum when he sees her in the vegetables aisle. The girl he’s been crushing on in high school. Well, before he was expelled because he followed Gog again on some illicit shenanigans he shouldn't have. He was always a follower and it didn’t do him any good, but now his life is back on tracks. He’s been at Mile End Fire station for a year and a half and everything is going well for him there. He had never dared to ask her out while they were at school though she was always nice to him. Ashley was always kind to everybody, even the cheeky assholes like who he was pretending to be then to fit with his mates. That’s why he liked her so much.

 

Telling himself that he has to do it, he puts all his confidence in his steps and walks towards her to open the conversation « Nice melons you got there, Ashley ! » She turns her head, shocked, exclaiming « What ? ». Dennis backs up a bit, red in the face and just realizing what he said « Oh, I meant, the fruits! Not your tits ! Well, they look good too but…» he stammers while she still looks at him with wide-eyes « I…, I should go. » And then, she laughs.

Dennis has never been so embarrassed in his whole life, standing like frozen with his shopping basket in hand and not knowing what to do next, he’s starting to panic. He really liked her and he blew his chance cause he let his mouth run unchecked. He’s on this train of thoughts when he feels her hand on his arm, keeping him from going away « You’re so funny Dennis ! What’s up with you these days ? Heard from me mum that you was a firefighter now ? »

 

Now he is the one surprised « You remember my name ? ». She smiles and he regains a bit of confidence with that « Yeah, I mean, been at Mile End for nearly 2 years now. You ? » She replies that she’s a hairdresser in her aunt’s salon but the only thing that he’s focusing on, is that she still has her hand on his arm.

 

« I have to go back home soon, sorry. It’s been lovely running into you, Dennis. » She then writes something on her shopping list and rip off the bit of paper to give it to him. It’s her phone number. As Dennis looks up from it and back at her, she’s still smiling and he just feels clueless as to what just happened. « For when you’ll have gathered enough courage to ask me out fo’ real. If it can help, the answer’s gonna be yes. » And just like that, she’s gone.

 

Dennis looks at the piece of paper in his hand and thinks to himself that it could have gone so much more wrong seeing how it had began. Now, he will have to prepare better for the actual date. This may take time but he really wants to bring her on a proper date, show her that he’s not the boy he used to be. Gog’s death and working with the watch has changed him for the better and he will show her his new self. The real one.

*

A few days later, he texts her and they agree to go to a little Italian restaurant near where she works. Dennis is supposed to pick her up there when she’s done with her day and he’s nervous, so nervous that his mum has picked up on it. “What’s up with you Den’? Worrying about your date again?” she says, pushing his hands away from his collar and closing the last buttons herself. 

 

She soothes away the last creases from the fabric and looks at him, taking his face into her hands “It’s gonna be fine, you have a nice heart Dennis and she will see it.” He groans but feels reassured by her words anyway. Sure he has fucked quite a few girls already but this is different. It was just sex and if he was honest, it wasn't even that good. He was a bit drunk most of the times it happened and he never cared about any of those girls. Ashley is different. He wants her to know that he wants something different with her.

 

As he leaves the flat, his mum gives him some last minute encouraging words and even slips a 20£ banknote in the pocket of his jeans “Treat her right, ok?” He smiles and just nods, hurrying out and down the stairs. He walks at a brisk pace trying to calm himself and stops at a flower shop next to Ashley’s aunt salon. He ends up only buying a single red rose cause apparently flowers are now made of gold and he can’t afford more if he wants to be able to pay for the restaurant.

 

When he arrives at the salon, he waves at Ashley through the window and she takes her bag before joining him outside. Dennis immediately greets her and gives her his rose which wins him a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks Dennis! I didn't remember you as a gentleman.” she says, mischievously. He just shrugs, hands in his pockets and a bit hurt by what she said but he knows that she’s right. “People change, you know Ash. Come on, we gotta go. I've made a reservation” he says as he leads her in the direction of the restaurant with a hand on the small of her back.

 

The dinner goes quite well and Dennis manages not to embarrass himself too much with his awkwardness. Ashley is really as he remembered her to be, nice and open about everything. She’s a simple girl, just looking to keep her job, get her own place and maybe later, raise a family there and Dennis catches himself thinking about what it would be like to be a dad someday. He just hopes that he would do a better job than his own dad did.

 

After dinner, he walks her to where she lives with her family, a small house not far from Churchill Estate. Once there, she says her goodbyes, twirling her rose in her hand and seemingly waiting for something so he just goes for it and kisses her softly on the mouth. “I had a lovely night Ash, and I hope that you’ll agree to see me again soon. Maybe watch a movie or something…” She nods and hugs him for a bit “I’ll be happy to. Do you wanna come in now? My parents aren't there so…” 

 

Dennis shakes his head and looks into her eyes before saying “I have an early morning at the station tomorrow.” He hesitates but decides on the spot to be honest “I also wanna show you that I have changed. I’m not the wanker I was in high school anymore so even if you’re gorgeous and don’t get me wrong you really are, I’d rather wait a bit more.” She smiles to that and kisses him again. “You've proven me wrong already, Dennis. Flowers, dinner and now this. You really are a gentleman now and people do change. I’m looking forward to our next date.”

 

As soon as the door closes on her, Dennis makes a victory gesture to himself before going back to his place. When he goes to bed that night, he’s thinking to himself that Ashley might be the person who was missing from his life before. Time would tell but he has a really good feeling about this.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on Tumblr if you want more posts about The Smoke and mostly Taron Egerton http://fifionline.tumblr.com/


End file.
